A private event hosted by the USC College Republicans featuring conservative speaker David Horowitz prompted protests and a walkout Wednesday night.

The event came a day after a number of students complained about being denied entrance to the speech. Earlier this week, USC College Republicans said they would bar some individuals affiliated with Students for Justice in Palestine to prevent any disruption.

Fighting words · Students for Justice in Palestine and other students held signs in protest outside Seeley G. Mudd on Wednesday. The group was protesting an event sponsored by USC College Republicans, featuring conservative speaker David Horowitz. - Amaresh Sundaram Kuppuswamy | Daily Trojan

Horowitz’s speech focused on the global threat to Judaism and how that fight was taking place on college campuses in the United States.

Horowitz discussed the conflict between Israel and Palestine, describing “Islamofascist” attacks against Jews, and how Islamists had driven them from the West Bank.

“There’s no more threatened people in the world than Jews. That’s the reality,” Horowitz said. “The Arabs are racist.”

About 10 students who were admitted to the event stood up and turned their backs half an hour into the his speech, in response to his characterization of Muslims.

“This is my intolerance for the intolerance,” Horowitz said when the students turned their backs. “These students are either brain-dead or they’re malicious.”

The students were escorted out by Department of Public Safety officers at the event, and were met outside with an uproar of chanting from about 15 demonstrators outside, who were denied entrance because of their affiliation with SJP.

Heather Larabee, the assistant dean of students and director of Campus Activities said students were removed because they had disrupted the event.

“They were blocking the views of people behind them, so that’s why they were asked to leave. Had they stood up silently and in the back rows, Horowitz would have been able to see them and that would have been fine,” she said.

According to Larabee, six members of SJP were denied entrance to the event. College Republicans also turned away others who had not signed up for the event, except for a few who waited and were allowed entrance to fill some of the empty seats, even though there were a few remaining ones.

Horowitz spoke about the controversy surrounding his appearance at USC.

“Now I can’t set foot on the USC campus,” he said. “Let me just say the behavior is an utter disgrace and one of the worst cases I have seen.”

Horowitz called the protestors from SJP, the USC Progressive Alliance and Muslim Student Union “fascist thugs.”

“I don’t care what you think of anything I said,” Horowitz told attendees after the protestors inside were escorted out by campus security.

SJP members stood outside before the event and initially protested silently with signs that read, “I refuse to respect hate speech,” “Is my last name a ‘security’ threat?” “Stand with us against racism” and “His hate speech is violating my free speech.”

When the protestors were escorted out, the demonstrators outside began chanting, “Racist” and “Free speech yes, hate speech no.”

“Allowing him to speak at USC legitimizes his racist speech as something that’s academic debate, which it isn’t,” said SJP President Alex Shams, a senior majoring in international relations who participated in the demonstration. “What David Horowitz is saying is hate speech and it’s speech that is offensive to a lot of students on campus and is threatening to a lot of students on campus.”

But Falicia Mandel, the co-chair for the California College Republicans who served as the College Republicans vice president in 2008, said the students didn’t give Horowitz a chance to explain his case.

“I really wish they would have stayed and heard what he had to say, and then if they chose to ask the hard questions … there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a better way to exercise what they’re asking for, which is freedom of speech,” she said.

Larabee said Student Affairs made an effort to ensure both groups were given an opportunity to give their side of the story.

“As a whole, we want to make sure the students demonstrating have a chance to demonstrate and their voices are heard, and the students that wanted the program to happen are having their program,” Larabee said. “We’re not here to judge right or wrong or pick a side at all. It’s just about making sure students have a positive experience, whatever that is for them.”

Larabee said the university will investigate why some students were denied entrance to the event.

Despite Student Affairs’ efforts, Horowitz complained about the treatment of his hosts by the protestors.

“Students that invited me, which is the worst part, are attacked and called racist,” Horowitz said, adding that the discussion of free speech must continue on USC’s campus. “This is a battle and it’s a battle we have to win.”

Horowitz said the groups protesting the College Republicans’ event and attempting to obstruct the speaker they invited should be put on probation for “a heinous assault on USC students.”

“The administration itself is allowing this fascist attempt at free speech … to defile College Republicans,” he said, calling the protestors “lunatics the university refuses to discipline.”

Then, why don’t you go live in Gaza or Iran… where they practice the “religion of peace” and attempt to practice Judaism there. You won’t be in Israel where those nasty murderous Jews live, so you should be in no danger, right? Certainly it’s safer than going to Jerusalem and practicing Islam, at any rate. Right?

there are 40,000 jews in iran, and israel has offered them money to leave numerous times, as lately as last year. They have refused to leave. Sorry, what contact do you have with the jews of iran that you think you know their situation?

“The term ‘Islamofascist’ is used by … the radical right wing … All due respect, if ‘free speech’ … was the topic, the term would never be bandied about.”
Somebody point this man to the definition of irony.

“This is a campus that promotes critical thinking, research and powerful dialogue based on facts and evidence … I thrive on dialogue with my counter-politically inclined students … No respecting institution of higher education would allow the visit of such a despicable individual to visit its campus”

Kudos to Alex Shams and the progressive student alliance for having the courage to stand up against not only racism and intolerance, but out and out ignorance. This is a campus that promotes critical thinking, research and powerful dialogue based on facts and evidence. When we invite hateful people on campus, we deserve the negative publicity, protests and backlash that we get. USC students are nobody’s fools. This campus has some of the best and brightest in the country, if not the world. No respecting institution of higher education would allow the visit of such a despicable individual to visit its campus without protest.

I think Horowitz’s visit seems allegorical to Ahmadinejad’s visit to the U.S., though perhaps fortunately for us Horowitz represents far less of a threat as his circle of influence is comparably miniscule. They both share empty rhetoric based on half-truths and stereotypes. Both project their own fears onto “the other”. In this way, Bush and Bin Laden shared much in common as well… both claimed god to be on their side for what amounted to a virtual holy war (see LA Times Editorial page several years ago, placing their speeches side by side in comparison).

Where is the critical dialogue in this university, especially with speakers such as Horowitz and Coulter?

I have great respect for all groups who employ depthful analysis and criticality in their journey. Horowitz is not among them. The term “Islamofascist” is used by performers and entertainers of the radical right wing such as Rush Limbaugh and (on our own campus not too long ago) Ann Coulter. All due respect, if “free speech” and not “hate speech” was the topic, the term would never be bandied about. Not only does it isolate an entire religious community, but it misunderstands the term “fascism” in the most heinous and frankly ironic way.

When corporate entities merge with the ruling state, the term “fascism” applies. The small sector of fundamentalist muslims who gather around the principles put forth by Al Qaeda and others are anything but fascist. They loathe the corporate / state hegemony. This is their primary rallying cry, their target. Bin Laden railed against corporate monopoly and globalization, especially of his famous (Bush-family-friendly) Saudi clan. And, need we be reminded, liberation (of the mind) comes with our expanded capacity to sustain complexities.

Do the college republicans purport that Horowitz represents complex thinking? I thrive on dialogue with my counter-politically inclined students – most of whom I find exceptionally intelligent. I shudder to think that any of them attended this vacuous event.

The college republicans who participated in Horowitz’s visit have shamed their legacy on this campus and ridiculed their academic integrity. And I know that the vast majority of Republicans find Horowitz as shameful as the vast majority of Democrats are probably embarrassed by similar simplistic sloganeering.

Again, my hat’s off to Alex Shams and the progressive students on campus. Standing and turning their back on Horowitz, all due respect to Ms. Larrabee, did nothing to block or disrupt a person whose very presence blocks and disrupts the good name of our university. I find the notion of “neutrality” from USC administrators under these circumstances to be frankly shameful.

he died in 632- when islam had only reached the cities of mecca, medina, and the surrounding countryside. How much rape and torture could he have plausibly done by 632 (having fled mecca in 622 for medina), especially given that Medina converted of its volition, and mecca was the city muhammad came from?

i understand if you say the islamic empire killed people- obviously it did, like any empire (say, the roman empire under the christians, or the byzantines?)- but bringing up the prophet shows a wanton disregard of factual history regarding the spread of Islam and the dates as well as regions involved.

OK… he might not be a “racist” but his attitude is no different than people who are racist. He is saying that the “jew” are beign threatened by “muslims” but there is nothing that can be generalized as “jews” or “muslims.” jews and muslims are simply people who practice certain religion and there is not a single entity that represents(or has legitimacy over) the opinions of all followers. It’s a complete nonsense(aka bullshit) to call “muslim” as murderers or terrorists since only very few people who call themselves muslim commit such ridiculous crimes.

Generalizing muslims as terrorist is the same as calling catholics(Irish Republican Army) as terrorists and protestants(KKK) as racist.

The difference, observer, is that Catholicism does not prescribe the IRA to blow up the British and run around breaking the legs of Protestants. Islam does prescribe the murder, rape, and enslavement of non-Muslims. It is plainly written in Islam’s scriptures and frequently and loudly expressed by Islam’s religious scholars.

The IRA are terrorists who happen to be Catholic. Islamic terrorists whether they be in the Taliban, the Palestinian territories, or at Fort Hood, are practicing the teachings of a mainstream sect of Islam.

Horowitz IS racist, and apparently, so are a lot of DT commenters. Sure, if he was invited, he has every right to give his speech (and be judged for it), but so too do silent protesters outside the event. If bigoted anti-gay protesters can be found on campus nearly every week, surely these protesters should be allowed as well.

dude ali, wtf is ur problem! if u think anyone thinks that 9/11 was awesome and still lives in this country and goes to school here u are about the dumbest person i’ve ever heard of…

you do realize the days after that happened the whole world was with us. millions of people across the globe, not just in european nations but in Muslim countries like Iran.

the reason everyone has so much animosity towards the united states right now is because we did something wrong…because we decided to let imperialism and capitalism rule the day, because we failed to be an informed citizenry and we failed to head the warning of our first president who warned us against standing armies and we failed to head the warnings of Eisenhower who said the military-industrial complex was something to be vigilant of.

You don’t think there’s anyone in this country who thinks that 9/11 was awesome? I think I know where at least one such person is located… in a hospital in Texas under police guard tonight. At least one other we’re all aware of is leading a mega-church in Chicago. You can’t deny that there exists a virulent, homicidal strain of Islam (not of Muslims, but of Islam) and that it is present even on our shores.

Your “chickens come home to roost” argument is founded in ignorance. If our crime is letting “imperialism rule the day” then show me our empire. Does this have something to do with Guam? And since when is supporting free enterprise a crime that justifies a global jihad against innocent people? Perhaps you should ground your absurd statements in at least a veil of logical argument if you want to be taken seriously.

As I mentioned on the last page, those of you who have made yourselves useful idiots for Islamofascism are in for a rude awakening when you graduate from USC and try to succeed in the adult world. Piece of advice: don’t mention your belief that Israel doesn’t have a right to exist during a job interview.

i don’t deny that radical factions exist in Islam and i don’t deny that their exists equally virulent strains of ppl who claim Christianity as their religion or other religions. i think any form of religion is a waste of time and that anyone who needs a god to make them act like a decent human being is weak (but that’s just me and im the fucking most terrifying thing America can think of–an ATHIEST!!!!)

im talking about ppl. who go to our school and you know it…and im talking about the countless cases of war profiteering that have taken place in iraq since we’ve gotten there. ppl are making mad money off of ppl dying and i do consider that a crime. especially when the day of preemptively attacking iraq was thrown around the day after 9/11

furthermore, no where did i mention that i think israel shouldn’t exist…i just think they should play by the rules everyone else does and not be coddled by the US (and by that i mean given absurd amounts of money and weaponry i think would be better used giving ppl who actually live in this country things like health care and cheaper education)

and i never intend on having a job interview, movies are much better done being the boss, but you’re more than welcome to go about your day 9-5

“i don’t deny that radical factions exist in Islam and i don’t deny that their exists equally virulent strains of ppl who claim Christianity as their religion”

In other words, you do deny that Islam has any particular correlation with homicidal lunacy. Do you really think that “religion” and “ideology” are commodities and there’s no difference between them? That kind of willful ignorance is comforting to kids like yourself, because it seems to say that your general ignorance of life is not a weakness. (Since all ideas and beliefs are equally wrong, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know anything!) Unfortunately in the adult world you have to deal with reality. Nidal Malik Hasan ranting about cutting off the heads of infidels is not equally benign as some Ned Flanders type inviting you to a bible study. Neither our military leaders nor Israel’s protectors have the luxury of living in a politically correct world where a person’s stated political and spiritual beliefs tell you nothing about how they are likely to behave.

yeah, i do deny that…there’s no particular religion with a correlation to homicidal lunacy. homicidal lunacy is a by product of thinking you have no other choice or being promised 40 virgins in heaven (and i blame that on being a piggish male who thinks they have domination over women and that gender is not a construct of society–which dh told me after i approached him very calmly and cordially). i think science is the way to go not religion and i trust those ideas because there’s some smidgen of evidence for them

when i said radical christians i meant the kkk, not a fictional characters on the simpsons. if u go look @ the kkk website one of the 2nd or 3rd requirements is accepting jesus christ as your personal saviour.

our military leaders shouldn’t even be over in the middle east–its not our homeland–it belongs to both palestinians and israelis and i think if ppl. spent the money on humanitarian aid instead of military than the ppl who are upset about not having homes and their children starving might be more likely to sit down peacefully and discuss a diplomatic solution.

i always think killing ppl. is wrong, i don’t care what they did or who they are, its wrong and i know that its a fact of this reality that ppl. are killed, but i think we’ve done a bad job lessening that reality, we’ve made it more of a reality. there was no such thing as a suicide bomber in afghanistan till we got there…so i blame us.

You just do NOT get it. Provide the information showing the last time the KKK -or any Christian supremacist group– killed 13 and wounded 30 as happened yesterday thanks to a “devout” Muslim.

Show us! Don’t just lie about it as if it were so.

While you are at it…

Show us the last time the KKK was invited to and warmly embraced at a Christian gathering by a diverse group of Christians. For this is EXACTLY what happened when the genocidal leader of Sudan was invited to and warmly embraced at the Arab League Summit held in Qatar last Spring. (This WAS in MODERAYE Qatar.)

This is exactly what Horowtiz was talking about two days ago.

How is it all the leaders of the Arab wolrd could invite and embrace a genocidal leader as if he were Humpty Dumpty instead of the sadistic pig that he is? Does this suggest Horowitz is correct, i.e., Muslims do accept genocidal leaders –and even embrace them– as it is part of their core ethos? Remember, Mohammed WAS a warrior who killed many, many non-Muslims as “part of his job” as the warrior prohpet of Islam.

Riddle us that one Ibn.

Or, if you cannot explain why this is so common place in the Muslim world than tell us clearly why you are opposed to these actions by Muslims. (Watch Ibn will not condemn these acts just as he almost certainly did not condemn the acts of the 19 Muslims who carried out 9/11.)

NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MINDS THINKS THIS IS RIGHT!!!!! NOT ANY “REAL” CHRISTIAN

JUST LIKE NO “REAL” MUSLIM THINKS EXTREMIST ORGANIZATIONS ARE AWESOME

When people embrace organizations like this, it is because they have no other choice. If you were a Palestinian and you children were starving and not a single Christian tried to help you, but Hamas offered your starving children food and humanitarian aid…what would you do?

i love how Ali eckman points to one organization that as a Muslim I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF, and no muslims i’ve talked to have, and thinks ALL muslims are part of it or have something to do with it.

This is what a generalization is, and this is what racism and Islamophobia are. Imagine if i took every statement the Klan made, and said “this is what white people agree with!!” This is how I feel when you write this- absolutely offended.

So if we’re gonna talk about racism, and the USC College Republicans, this is what I mean.

I thought everything David Horowitz said was very level headed and he brought a very reasoned response to what they were protesting. If they had listened instead of so rudely disrupting they would have found that out. As a former alumnus of USC I’m astonished that the administration would allow such events to take place.

I think the next logical step is to follow through on what DH said and look into SJPs funding of the Taliban and their systematic genocide of campus Jews. I think its pretty clear considering the number of Muslims in SJP that they are being funded by Hamas. Its time for the Christians to take back USC and steer it back towards its conservative roots of upstanding, white God-fearing individuals from dignified old money and entrepreneurs.

A few hours ago a devout Muslim American soildier killed a dozen American soildiers at Fort Hood. This is the truth.

The killer was a devout Muslim. This is the truth.

Muslims have killed close to 500,000 people in Sudan. This is the truth.

Muslims have killed or threatened to kill many people like David Horowitz. This IS the truth and it is why people like Horowtiz have security details protecting them 24/7. Ask Salman Rushdie or Ayaa Ali Hirsi if this is the truth.

You might ask Theo Van Gogh if this is true but a Muslim killed him. This is true.

And the following video is true too. The video is not scripted and the people speaking are not actors. They’re real Muslims threatening to kill a guy not all that different than David Horowtiz. They even mention Theo Van Gogh as an example of someone who was killed by a Muslim for speaking out about Islam and Muslims. This IS true, unless you can show me where it isn’t.

The nerve of Horowitz for telling the truth to college students! Why didn’t he just do the PC thing like the other “professors”?

Here are some direct quotes from the Islamic Awakening Forum’s website. Weird that it is exactly what Horowitz was saying and yet people claim he is an “Islamophobe” instead of a realist:

“One who defends the honour of his brother, Allah keeps the fire of hell away from his face on the Day of Judgment.”

“But anyway, a brave and honorable mujahid indeed. I’m sure he was perfectly OK with the treachery of taking the military oath of service, training with other loyal Americans, and then turning his guns on them. But the good thing is that it shows the world how clever Muslims are. “

mujahid_moonsighter Junior Member Muslim Male Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Riyadh, Saudia Arabia
Re: As many as 9 killed in Fort Hood shootings, officials say
reports now are saying that the shooter was a convert(revert) to Islam, a Major(officer) in the army

One of the most interesting things that develops from these types of responses is really seeing how people measure themselves against the political establishment. My observations have concluded many right-leaning Zionists and/or supporters of Horowitz and Israel truly belief they are of the minority in the college system and that they are actually being threatened in the United States.

This is a contradictory position considering the prominence of the AIPAC lobby in Congress, not to mention recent U.S. actions regarding Israel. As far as I know they are still receiving $3 billion and they are a major purchaser of U.S. defense contracts. If I also recall correctly they are one of the few members of the United Nations to vote against bringing the Goldstone report further. And, additionally, Obama’s Administration called for a “settlement freeze” in the West Bank but recently stopped pushing for that.

You can debate whether or not Israel is justified or that America is justified in supplying Israel arms. But it is indisputable that the U.S. government unequivocally supplies Israel and that without the former, Israel would probably not last that long… I don’t know of many countries that can start 2 wars in 3 years and get away with it. That said, I really wish that the debate would stop being about “well you’re being brainwashed and I know what I am talking about” or being incredulous towards the other persons point of view. Honestly the discussion should center around the actual content and data.

And one last thing in this little tirade-how exactly is this article biased? And remember bias doesn’t mean disagreeing with you, it means the author takes a clear slant towards one side by excluding certain facts. I won’t argue this is a masterpiece of journalism but she quoted both sides of the debate..

If the following is the same UN you and I have in mind tell me why anyone should take any of their resolutions seriously? When the likes of Libya and Syria rule the roost and you take their words as gospel than that tells me all I need to know about you. Libya and human rights in the same sentence makes most thinking beings laugh out loud, but evidently not you.

Last night, Horowitz made very generalized statements against Muslims and Palestinians that could undoubtedly be fueled by a racist perspective or AT LEAST instill racism in others:

He exclaimed that “THEY (PALESTINIANS) HATE THEIR OWN CHILDREN! THEY STRAP BOMBS TO THEM AND TELL THEM TO KILL THEMSELVES!”

No, he was NOT referring only to “Islamofascists” here. He did not make a single distinction in the context of this quote between the general Palestinian population and the “Islamofascists” to whom he often refers.

He also stated that Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza should move to Jordan to make way for Israelis in the Palestinian territories. Therefore, even though he stated beforehand that it was genocidal for Arabs to oppose the existence of Israel, he stated that he opposed the existence of Palestinians in Palestine? According to his logic, he is supporting genocidal perspectives as well!

LASSSSTLY, I talked to him afterward and he admitted that he had never even been to Israel!!! Therefore, he sure as heck hasn’t been to Palestine!! How DARE he generalize the perspectives and desires of Palestinian civilians when he has never even been to Palestine and interacted with them??? He has never even witnessed the events that he so fervently decries.

You are talking about loving your home and that people want to force you out. Don’t you realize that there were 750,000 Palestinians who were expelled from their own homeland which now is Israel. Don’t all these people have the same rights as you think Israelis should? That’s what SJP is fighting for. People who were thrown out forcefully and for the current conditions of the Palestinian people who are in the tiny winy of what is left of Palestine which clearly Israel doesn’t give equal rights to.

“brain-dead and malicious” lol. that’s so funny…i know all those people, they spend almost all their time cooking food for homeless people, playing with baby chickens and having water fights in kiddie pools I can see why david horowitz needed so many armored guards.

What a non-sequitur response. Besides your mis-quote (the correct one is “brain-dead OR malicious”), you need to take Mr. Horowitz’s words in context:

“Brain-dead” here means unable to personally form a rational opinion after being presented the facts. This would apply to any non-Muslim SJP members who take propaganda from Hamas and it’s ilk, spread it like the Gospel, and pretend to champion the Palestinian cause in their name when there is countless evidence to show that these groups are the true criminals against the Palestinian people. People who show metaphorical brain activity should be able to put 2 and 2 together and see that something is wrong with what radical Islam presents to the West.

“Malicious” here refers to people who know what radical Islam presents to West, understand that (for instance) Hamas is trying to kill every Jew and Israeli on the planet and that Iran is trying to attain nuclear weapons for the same purpose and support them anyways either because of their own anti-Semitism or because of other religious beliefs. On college campuses these are generally Muslim pro-Islamofascist students and their sole extracurricular mission is to slander Israel’s humanitarian efforts and sovereign rights.

I can assure you, there were Nazi death camp guards who were married and loved their kids. Didn’t mean they weren’t compatible with the attempted genocide of non-Aryans across Europe.

lmao…can i meet u in person AB, i’d love to chat over coffee or something so you can teach me what “non-sequitur” means and hear you’re opinion on what really happened inside. im not even kidding either…please, please meet with me

but since you took the time to clarify things for me i’d like to say that those people still aren’t brain-dead or malicious…some of them were even Jewish

and i think discussing something over coffee is far better than mudslinging via internet, although i imagine if i did go with AB to coffee (or u) i have a feeling it would end very quickly in me throwing the coffee in ur face

Ibn writes, “most murders in the US are committed by Christians.” Well, duh! Given the demogrpahics of the US it would be pretty amazing if this were not the case.

Ibn writes, “all examples of violent Christian expansion”. Even if all of this were true, and I am not agreeing that all of it is so, this is no excuse for Islam’s sins. Are you saying that just because someone else does it we can too?

I do not disagree that Christianity committed grave, awful sins which resulted in millions of deaths, but there IS a profound difference between Christianity and Islam. Very profound.

Christianity was founded by a man of peace who lived a life of peace, who preached peace to all his followers.

Islam was founded by a man who was a warrior, who practiced warfare in his pursuit of expanind Islma’s reach, who taught his followers to emulate his deeds of war, rape, enslavement and pillaging in the never-ending pursuit of the expansion of Islam.

Islam is unique among the religions for having a prophet of Mohammed’s ilk. It is little wonder that today’s Islamists quote the Koran when beheading their prisoners, who shout out Allah Akbar when killing and raping their victims, who justify killing women and children using words from the Koran and Hadiths.

Christianity committed grave sins and is still suffering from the “karma” inherited from these sins –witness your comment as an example of this karma smacking Christians straight in the face– but Islam is far worse and far more insidious.

All one has to do is to google the sermons of Islam’s modern Clerics and Imans to see what Islam is all about, and it has nothing to do with compassion, tolerance and peace. These are Christian ideals and despite the many examples of Christianity not always living these ideals, and often guilty of the opposite, this does not refute that Jesus’ life and teachings were all about always striving towards this path. Mohammed’s life and teachings could not be much further from Jesus’ and the fact that in the 21st century we can see this VERY clearly pretty much says all we need to know.

I agree…I think your post leads to the conclusion that all religions commit terrible atrocities more often then not. I don’t think there is any religion that is more insidious than any other. I think anyone pushing their religion in other people’s faces is pretty insidious and we know all the big religions do that all the time The people in power simply tell all their followers to do things and those people listen hoping their god will save them.

I think its time for people to grow some sense and realize that religion is more trouble than its worth. The so called “ideals of Christianity” are simply survival mechanism people evolved in order to survive without killing each other constantly (we know how good we are at that).

Let’s just smoke a joint and have a campfire. People will agree after that

the crusades, the hundred years war, the Colonization of Africa, of the Americas (estimated 25 million Aztecs alone died), the colonization of asia, the colonization of the middle east, the colonization of australia, the european religious wars of the 1500’s, the “Reconquista” (which expelled all muslims and jews from iberia), the byzantine wars v the zoroastrian persians….

I ask you one more time: You can judge me, you can try me, and you can convict me, and you can hate me too; but please tell me what it is I have written that is untrue.

I will make this easy for you. I, Ali, am the biggest jerk in the world, but my central thesis about Islam being a religion founded by a warrior and whose religion has expanded through violence, rape and mayhem (see Sudan, Somalia, Kashmir, etc…) is typical of this religion. A religion that lacks compassion, tolerance or any peaceful intentions toward non-Muslims.

Please, please tell this jerk –Ali– where his thesis is wrong. (And, while you’re at it, why is it the dozen army personnel killed today in Texas happened to have been killed by a Muslim? Is this just a weird conincidence seeing as though less than 6% of the US’s population is Muslim…it seems statistically unlikely that another Muslim would be involved in wanton acts of murder like this, no? Unless, of course this is to be expected from Muslims because of the indocrination they receive from the cradle to the grave.)

dude, people kill people all the time. it’s not because they adhere to a certain religion, its because they are desperate to make a statement.

you’re doing exactly what david horowitz said not to do which was categorically classify muslims as people who kill other people.

he said he wasn’t racist, but you listened to him and what you’re saying now sounds racist (yes i know Islam is not a race so don’t tell me that)–i think that’s why people were protesting.

Ali, there’s a lot of people who aren’t as smart as you and when they listen to things Glen Beck says they take him seriously. I come from one of those places and they all want to blow up Iran for absolutely no reason besides that its Iran. I think that’s the point, so many people are uneducated and are willing to listen to someone like david horowitz

It’s sad, but there is truly no more seething hive of anti-semitism in the United States than the college campuses. (Except the mosques, of course!) There is a whole industry of bottom-feeders in this country (e.g. CalPIRG) who manipulate college students to fill their ranks and fill their wallets, because they know that you don’t understand the issues but you like singing protest songs. When you are 25 or 30 years old, you’ll be appalled at what you were talked into doing and saying for this evil movement. Anti-semitism doesn’t go over so well in the adult world as it does in college.

The DT has run many biased or plain-trash articles in the past, but this one really takes the cake.

Here was the essence of Horowitz’s speech: there are violent passages in the Koran, there are violent statements made by Muslim leaders in governments and organizations, and the rest of the (peaceful) Muslim community does nothing to denounce them. Horowitz strongly advocated for the rights of women and homosexuals in Muslim societies. He also spent twenty minutes speaking with a girl one-on-one from SJP. Funny how none of that made the article.

You claim that some students were turned away because of their race. The GOP made it clear that they wanted people to RSVP by Tuesday. SOME students got in without being on the list because they knew members of the club. You are basing that claim on hearsay, nothing more.

Greg-I attended the event too, and your absolutely right. Why can’t people see this? Horowitz also mentioned that our freedom of speech (if obama doesnt take that away) is the one thing we must preserve. Why can’t SJP and the other organizations affiliated understand that the repubs on campus have the FREEDOM OF SPEECH. it’s simple.

Again. What was D.H. saying that offended your group so much? Please re-read your history books and look at what leaders in Arab nations are threatening to do to Israel today, can you understand what one purposely sent nuclear weapon could do to that small nation? How can you continue to perpetuate the hate of the Jews and Israel. They must be strong when everyone in the region is trying so hard to wipe them out. If you lived in a house somewhere, anywhere, and the rest of the town was trying to destroy you, to force you to leave your home, that you loved … what would you do … the rest of the town has plenty of room, they control the town, they don’t need your little home … you just want to live there in peace.

Young people have so much to give to the world, why not start with compassion, understanding and tolerance for others ideas and faith.

how about some compassion, understanding, and tolerance for muslims, palestinians and jews…

ps. Israel, as small as it is in the middle east is backed by billions of dollars from the most powerful & influential country in the world (United States) and is the only country there with nuclear weapons

i know jews have been persecuted and thats awful, it always is…but i think you should know that the people who protested spend every saturday cooking food for the homeless people around USC campus, i’ve never seen a single “college republican” at those things

Actually, College Republicans each year have events like that. Every year they support the troops in some way, they’ve been known to support cancer causes and the like. In fact, I’ve never seen the “college democrats” supporting the very people that defend your freedom.

When you have some twisted and negative view of a republican, you might want to check your facts. FACT: the most conservative cities in the U.S. DONATE (give money or goods for a good cause, just in case you need the definition) the most. Democratic cities-none.

Stop trying to use propaganda and your stupid mind to justify why Republicans don’t spend their time feeding the homeless. Your useless, just like them.

im not a democrat so i wouldn’t know…..i think both sides are completely ridiculous. im glad u take the time out of your busy schedule to feed homeless people. kudos to u

conservative cities tend to have more money because guess what conservative people tend to have a lot of money since a majority of them (white ppl.) have privileged positions, just like the both of us who attend an excellent university (so i doubt if either of our minds are stupid, check the deans list)

I want to let people know the extent to which the event was disrupted by us protesters inside the event. After 20 minutes, about 15 of us students stood up silently with their backs turned to Horowitz. The students were completely silent. Horowitz and DPS asked us to leave and we left promptly, also in complete silence.

In total, the event was disrupted for about 2 minutes and the protest was not one of commotion. I don’t want any group to see this as a precedent for protesting events in the future by being loud or vocally disruptive inside an event.

As a statement, I thought our silent and controlled protest weakened Horowitz’s claims that we were a bunch of “fascist thugs” bent on perpetrating a “second holocaust” against the Jews, and that the organizations we participate in fund terrorists like Hamas and the Taliban.

I am 60 years old, I have two family members who have graduated from SC. I am ashamed of what I just read regarding the treatment of David Horowitz. Throughout my life I have seen and heard vile attacks on Jews in real time, and just read any credible history book. Jews are persecuted no matter what they do, they try to make concessions, they are persecuted, they defend their homeland, they are persecuted.
They are hated by Arabs & Muslims as a way of life for the haters. Talk about denying
free speech … what was the Palestinian group trying to do to D.H. The tiny country of Israel is all the Jews have … and the surrounding countries even want to deny them their home. What on earth is wrong with these haters. It’s too bad those foolish students didn’t sit down, shut up and listen to David Horowitz … they may have learned something very valuable.

I’m not sure how productive these conversations really are, and I’m starting to think it’s getting quite personal. Both sides have made choices that appear to have slighted the other. We need more productive discussions that can get the facts and histories on the table – AND also highlight the important role of forgiveness, apology, redemption.

We need the voices and stories of those also affected by the conflict in this – and not only of males, but also of mothers, children, Arab Jews, Jewish Arabs, Christian Israelis, Druze Israelis – and not only those involved in violence, but also those involved in the peace movements in the middle east.

Our own opinions, as college students in America, are covered by textures of privilege that may be first hard to comprehend. Social justice plays an important part of this, but so does social progress. I would recommend the text Anatomy of Peace by the Arbinger Institute that comments very powerfully on this.

Lastly, there is the aspect of socioeconomic inequality, the gap between the rich and the poor, inequitable access to education, jobs, food, and water in the region. These are issues that most be addressed together — not through exclusion or dominance — to truly move forward on these developmental issues. Why not have a joint discussion between SJP and Republicans on this issue?

I really like what you’ve said and agree that only discussion between the two sides will help to actually discuss the real ISSUES in this conflict….not just the mudslinging about who is or is not racist.

Unfortunately, last night’s event with Horowitz took us a step away from this goal. Many of those students affected by the conflict were denied entrance to the event and could not get their questions to Horowitz in the first place. And why? Because they have been active on campus trying to raise awareness of the conflict and the plight of Palestinians. And Horowitz himself said people campaigning for the Palestinian cause are nothing but “fascist thugs,” “Jew-haters,” “the shame of USC” and “Nazis.” If Horowitz and those who agree with him really believe these things, than how can a joint discussion ever work?

I too want to see a joint discussion, but if the College Republican actually believe these hateful things Horowitz said about SJP (he accused them of sending money to the Taliban–I challenge him to offer up that evidence), than I fear a joint discussion would be more of the same — name calling and each side asserting they care more about freedom/equality/peace etc than the other.

I hope I’m wrong and I hope the next campus event about Israel and Palestine results in productive dialogue.

I sometimes think more damage is done to mankind by idealists than by most any other group. I understand your goals are likely deeply felt but that does not mean they work. One might argue Hitler was an idealist. A supremacist, for sure, but imbued with an insane form of idealism too?

Here are some definitons of idealist:

Noun 1. idealist – someone guided more by ideals than by practical considerations
dreamer
Don Quixote – any impractical idealist (after Cervantes’ hero)
romantic – a soulful or amorous idealist
visionary – a person given to fanciful speculations and enthusiasms with little regard for what is actually possible

Thank you for letting us know how you feel. Your feelings are germaine to this debate and we ALL care very much how you feel. I feel pretty good in case you were wondering.

Mr. Magoos then writes, “I hope USC will do something in reparation to those denied entry…”

What would you suggest the reparations should be, Mr. Magoos? Should it be similar to a price of a movie ticket? Please let us understand your logic for the need for reparartions and what amount we’re talking about here. You do know USC’s endowment has been hurt by the credit crisis so I hope you will take this into consideration when making your demands.

While you’re thinking about the dollar amount I thought I would share this video with you to help you calm your rage. You’ll find the link below….feel better,

The most extraordinary NGO statement was delivered by Col. Richard Kemp, former commander of the British forces in Afghanistan, who served with NATO and the UN, and commanded troops in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Macedonia. Speaking under the auspices of UN Watch, he declared solemnly at the start and as his conclusion: “Based on my knowledge and experience, I can say this: During Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli Defence Forces did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any army in the history of warfare.” His words should be heard by all:http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/ondemand/conferences/unhrc/special/12th/hrc091016am1-eng.rm?start=01:21:35&end=01:24:18 (2¾ minutes – UN webcast – RealPlayer)
My joint statement follows (with UN webcast); it concluded with a famous quotation from the Book of Daniel: Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

I am outraged by this.. I hope USC will do something in reparation to those denied entry and I seriously hope they do something to condemn GUESTS condemning student groups and directly targeting students. Especially when the speaker is 70 and obviously has a lot of time on his hands for him to be able to mess with 20 year olds like that…

First and foremost, I appreciate the fact that Mr. Sham and his group protested, slandered numerous upstanding people, threatened the safety of the this event, and received biased coverage from The Daily Trojan – because now, students and people in general can see who these groups really are. The pure and simple fact is that The Daily Trojan sold their soul in order to hit the College Republicans – simply because they are on the left and the CR’s are on the right. It’s amazing how fast journalistic integrity flies out the window. Think about it – look who you are supporting – the word idiot is far too kind for the journalists and the editorial staff.

One of the main issues here is the fact that people are complaining they were denied entrance to the event. First, it was a private event. This has been stated, over and over and over again. It was cleared by more than one governing body at USC. What does it take for this group to understand that. I would think some intelligence would come into play here – evidently not. I had a birthday party a few weeks ago, you were not invited, but no complaints from you – it’s that simple. Additionally, Mr. Sham noted that his group should stop or interrupt this event by any means possible. How would you read into this? How did the DT miss this, or at least have an issue with this?

What’s even more pathetic, is that if the shoe was on the other foot, Mr. Sham and his group would be crying real loud about their treatment.

Since the logic is very clear here – we must ask ourselves, why must this pathetic group continue on with this nonsense. The answer is clear: This is all they have. They have no real stance or argument. The only way to get some publicity is to rely on a leftist media outlet, in this case The Daily Trojan, to report inaccurate data – a common occurrence.

I invite others reading this shameful article and others like it in the past to take a stance. How long is America going to put up with political correctness to protect groups such as this? Maybe we should all attend your next private event Mr. Sham, claim you are being racist, slander your members and create drama to further our goals…….So, let’s get this started:

Mr. Sham, you are acting like a racistst, I am offended. You should be thrown out of the school. Anyone else?

RA writes, “…they (the college republicans) have gone to their own extreme pcokets…:

College Republicans,

Is it true your pockets are extreme? I’d always thought you all dressed pretty conservatively and that your pockets were more Brooks Brothers than Urban Outfitters, but what do I know.

At this point I’m so confused I’m beginning to think Islam is a race, and a race that hates extreme pockets. Do I have this right?

All kidding aside, Horowitz simply stated the truth. He backed it up with many examples. Islam is a supremacist RELIGION (not race). The Koran and Hadiths are FILLED with chapter and verse stating exactly this fact. Kafirs (non-Muslims) are second class citizens. Muslims are superior, i.e., supreme, i.e., supremacists.

You would have to be a blind, deaf, mute and dumb monkey to not see this fact enacted every day throughout Asia, Africa and coming to a town near you soon. Be it in Sudan where all non-Muslims are systematically being wiped off the planet or in Saudi Arabia where every single non-Muslim has been wiped off that countries desert sands it’s as plain to see as the fact that Islam is not a race but a collection of people of all colors practicing repression as one.

If someone wants to debate this specific point then let’s have at it, but the silly comments about race and pockets is off point and an attempt to distract from the many substantial and well documented things Horowitz really said.

An ideal response by students against an individual trying to legitimize his hatred of African-americans, Muslims, and all other groups of people he vilifies through his campaigns. It was disgraceful for the college republicans to invite Mr Horowitz in the first place. In times when they should try to rethink their values and views, they have gone to their own extreme pockets and brought someone who openly calls out for intolerance against communities. What the students did makes me believe that America still has a future for its people.

it amazes me that even after listening to horowitz’s racism and general lunacy, there are students defending him! He claimed MSU was part of a network funding the Taliban for goodness’ sake! In fact, his ideas regarding a Muslim brotherhood or conspiracy against him, and America, and against Jews, and freedom- sounds AWFULLY suspicious like the anti-semitism that exists in many parts of the world- i.e. blaming a group of people for everything wrong with everything.

Also, ATTACKING students who are protesting as “Brain Dead or Malicious”?? This is a guy who is obviously scared and dumb and just likes lashing out!

The main theme of Horowitz’s speech is that once you lose your right of freedom of speech, you lose all your rights. College Republicans exercised their right of freedom of speech by bringing Horowitz to speak to campus. The event was PRIVATE as it was entirely privately funded. No one in College Republicans ever objected to SJP or Progressive Alliance expressing their views. But, what SJP and Progressive Alliance attempted to do is block freedom of speech by slandering David Horowitz and College Republicans and attempting to disrupt Horowitz’s speech. The SJP students were denied entrance becuase they spread e-mails, facebook messages, and fliers calling to disrupt the speech using “any means necessary.” College Republicans refused to allow another student organization to disrupt its speaker from expressing his views College Republicans cleared it’s course of action with Heather Larabee of Student Affairs before proceeding with the event.

Horowitz is not a racist or an islamaphobe. He believes that the jewish state has a right to exist and that the jewish state is a beacon of human rights and democracy in a sea of totalitarian Islamo-facist regimes that opress women, gays, and reliogus minorities. One of the worst things an organization can be called is racist. Shame on SJP and Progressive Alliance for not intellectually debating David Horowitz but instead turning their backs on him in protest and slandering him with vicious and untruthful rhetoric. Additioanlly, this article is extremely one-sided and pulls David Horowitz’s quotes out of context.

“Horowitz is not a racist or an islamaphobe. He believes that the jewish state has a right to exist and that the jewish state is a beacon of human rights and democracy in a sea of totalitarian Islamo-facist regimes that opress women, gays, and reliogus minorities.”

Shame on Horowitz. How could anyone be so ridiculous as to say the Muslim Middle East is a totalitarian region where repression of women, gays and religous minorities happens.

I tried to intellectually debate him after the event. I very calmly and politely asked him why he thought black, gender, and postcolonial studies were dangerous (said on Fox news, and he admitted to me had indeed said it) then proceeded to mumble some things about “what does that even mean.” So I told him he should tell me cause he’s the one who said it. Then he told me gender was biological–but in all the biology classes i’ve ever taken, “sex” is biological “gender” is constructed. I asked him why as someone who is not a woman he thinks he has any idea what women’s issues really are and how parents buying their girls dolls or boys trucks wasn’t construction. At this point he tried his best to run away and refused to engage in a level headed conversation with me.

Horowitz seems to do a very good job of slandering himself. The MSU funding the Taliban? Israel surrounded by Islamo-fascists? Has he never heard of Lebanon, with its carefully-structured government that ensures Christians and Muslims cannot overpower each other? Plus, Israel has peace treaties and working relations with both Jordan and Egypt. Are Jordanians Islamo-fascists? Egypt has been holding the Rafah crossing closed for Israel for two years now. Nice way to talk about the few countries that are trying to engage with Israel.

The only members from SJP that were denied entrance were the ones with Arabic or Muslim names. Several members of SJP with non-Arabic/Muslim names were allowed into the event. Also, several Arab and Muslim students who do not have any affiliation to SJP or any other group protesting the event were denied entrance. This is clearly racial profiling and College Republicans cannot be allowed to do something like this. Hopefully the university responds appropriately, and I think the Daily Trojan should independently investigate how the RSVPs were handled to confirm if racially profiling occurred. Regardless of anything Horowitz said, no student group at USC should be racially profiling their attendees. That is simply despicable.

In my studies of Islam I could swear it IS a religion founded by a warrior and rapist named Mohammed. Have I studied the wrong source material? Is the Koran and the Hadith not good source material for understanding Islam?

christianna kyriacou…you might want to consider giving up Journalism. That was the most ONE SIDED piece, including photo, that I have ever read in a college publication. The NYTimes & others in the U.S.State Controlled Media would welcome you with open arms & “pay” you for your bias. You are the opposite of “fair & balanced”.
I was at this speech tonite and his message was basically that if we do not respect our Freedom of Speech (including engaging in debate with others who may disagree with us), that all our other freedoms will quickly disappear. He was rational. Clear headed. Loaded with historical facts. And an excellent, intelligent, persuasive speaker. He is someone who helps us to take the blinders of predjudice off & helps you to see the truth of the matter. You should be ashamed of your depiction of this lecture. It is a dis-service to those who come to understand & appreciate TRUTH. Stop trying to be a “hero” that champions causes that only a vocal & abrasive FEAR-mongering minority try to advance. Your hate of others who disagree with you can blind you as it has others. Look at how Muslims treat their WOMEN (birkas-seen & not heard), WESTERNERS/INFIDELS (they cut-their-heads-off if they don’t kiss up to Mohammed!) Believe me, I was in your position a few years back. TG I saw the error of your ways & chose a better way.

Can you be surprised that Ms. Kyriacou wrote the article the way she did when she’s a member of Trojans for Civil Liberties? Of course she’s going to be a little more concerned with allowing pro-hate (MSA) and pro-terrorist (SJP) groups the right to “free speech” without considering a) what it is they advocate, b) the points made against them, c) the ad-hominem and physical attacks launched against Mr. Horowitz, d) the utter lack of respect shown by SJP members towards not just Mr. Horowitz, but College Republicans and the people in attendance during their “protest” and finally e) the role and importance of journalistic and editorial integrity. Recognize that by attempting to write an even-handed report, you legitimize both sides – and you just legitimized documented pro-hate and pro-terrorist groups on campus that the administration is too afraid to shut down under this holy banner of “academic freedom”. There is no such thing as academic freedom when groups like these distort the very meaning of the term.

Because you made such narrow-minded comments about a particular group of people, i.e. Muslims, you lost all credibility in your argument. For instance, when you want to make a legitimate argument against someone who is being biased it might help not to be biased yourself.
Hope this helps!